The present invention relates in general to containment vessels and, more particularly, to an environmentally sealed containment vessel.
Most if not all semiconductor manufacturing processes use chemicals in one form or another. Some of the chemicals, for example those identified as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), have been found to be environmentally hazardous by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The CFC compounds contain carbon along with fluorine and/or chlorine and possess the undesirable side-effect of depleting the ozone layer when released into the atmosphere. The ozone layer provides a shield for the earth's surface against harmful solar radiation
Some CFC chemical compounds play an important role in the manufacturing processes of semiconductors. For example, TCA (1, 1, 1 trichloroethane) has been widely used in diffusion processing as a gettering agent for trapping heavy metal ions. TCA is on the EPA's list of ozone depleting chemicals. Environmentally responsible companies and individuals have conducted research to find substitute chemicals that would satisfy the same process needs and yet not cause depletion of the ozone layer. The chemical compound 1,1 dichloroethylene (DCE) has meet that goal. However, a safety issue arises with the storage and use of DCE in that its flash point of 43.degree. F. makes it a potential fire hazard.
Hence, a need exists to safely contain hazardous chemical compounds while in storage for use in manufacturing processes.